Potato bug catching apparatus



Feb. 3, 1953 s. A. STANTON POTATO BUG CATCHING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 16. 1949 3 MW SAMUEL 4. jmwro/v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 S. A. STANTON POTATO BUG CATCHING APPARATUS Feb. 3, 1953 Filed March 16, 1949 Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POTATO BUG CATCHING APPARATUS Samuel A. Stanton, Neosho, Mo.

Application March 16, 1949, Serial No. 81,661

(Cl. 43l33) Claims. I

This invention relates to a potato bug catching apparatus, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and efficient means for facilitating and expediting the catching and exterminating of potato bugs and other insects which may accumulate upon plants, bushes and the like.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for facilitating the shaking of potato bugs and the like from a plant and then dropping the bugs into a receptacle containing a saturating solution such as coal oil and the like, to facilitate subsequent burningof the bugs, and thereby exterminate the bugs as well as their eggs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus in operation and showing the bag in operation in an extended position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus, showing the bag in an operative position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view showing the bag in a lowered or collapsed position;

Figure 4 is an. enlarged detail fragmentary view looking at the inner face of the bag, showing the overlapping closure, and closure elements at thebottom thereof, the bag being shown traight and not in its normal circular contour, so as to illustrate the formation of the closure elements;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the bottom collecting receptacle, the bag being broken away;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 'I 'I of Figure ,5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of the apparatus showing the bag in its lowered or collapsed position;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the rubber closure strips; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the removable trays.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that IO designates a supporting panel which preferably is rectangular in shape, as is shown in Figure 3, having a longitudinally extending plant entering channel or slot II formed in the front end thereof. The slot I I is provided with diverging side walls I2 at its front entrance, thereby defining a laterally flared entrance opening I3. A circular base I4 is carried by the upper face of the supporting panel III in a position whereby the front portion of the base straddles the slot I I.

The inner end of the slot II is designated by the dotted line I I in Figure 5. The circular base I4 is provided with a centrally arranged diametrically extending channelway I5, which overlies and extends in longitudinal registration with the slot I I. The channelway I5 is covered for a portion of its length near its rear end with a cover anel I6 which braces the side walls ll of the channelway I5 of the base I4.

Longitudinally extending flexible closure strips I8 preferably of rubber, are anchored to the side walls ll by means of the retaining plates I9, which retaining plates are provided with inwardly extending upwardly inclined longitudinal flanges 20 at the upper ends thereof. These strips l8 extend longitudinally of the channelway I5 and are provided with upwardly inclined converging flexible or rubber flanges or lips 2 I. These flanges or lips 2| extend for the full length of the channelway I5 and provide a yieldable upwardly inclined canopy for normally closing the top of the channelway I5. The flanges or lips 2| are provided intermediate the ends thereof, preferably at the center of the base I4, with registering semicircular notches 22 defining a plant stem receiving circular aperture 23, as shown clearly in Figure 5. The flanges or lips 2| are provided with forwardly protruding flexible tongues 24, which project beyond the front or entrance portion of the channelway I5, as shown in Figures 3, 5 and 7. The forward extremities of the rotruding ends 24 are inclined inwardly from the outer side edges thereof to facilitate the spreading of the flanges or lips 2I as the stem of a plant enters the entrance opening I3 and as the apparatus is moved in the direction of a plant in the manner hereinafter described.

The base I4 is provided with segmental pockets 25, one at each side of the central channelway I5, as shown in Figure 5. These pockets are adapted to be filled with the coal oil or other suitable liquid for the purpose of killing and/or saturating bugs falling therein. Removable segmental trays 26 are fitted in the pockets 25 and are preferably perforated as at 26 or may be formed of any suitable porous material such as wire screening or any other material to permit the liquid to pass into the trays when they are placed into the pockets 25 and readily drain out when the trays are removed. Suitable handles 21 are carried by the trays 26 to facilitate the placing and removal of the trays into and out of the pockets 25.

A flexible bag 28 preferably frusto-conical in shape is fitted at its lower end around the base I4 and secured by means of alower split retaining band 28 shown in Figures 6 and 7, or it may be secured to the base M in any uitable manner. This bag 28 is provided with a vertical slit 29 at its front face in suitable vertical alignment with the channelway I5, as shown in Figure 2. The edges of the slit 29 are adapted to overlap when the bag is in a raised position to close the slit 29, as shown in Figure 2.

Since the perforated trays 26 fit within the pockets 25, which pockets 25 contain coal oil or other suitable liquid, the-coal oil will also fill the trays 26. As the bugs or insects drop into the oilcontaining trays 26, the bugs or insects will be stunned as they hit the oil in the trays, and will be covered with oil as they are immersed; The

stunning and immersing of the bugsor insects.

will prevent the bugs or insects from flying away.

When using this apparatus, twenty or thirty plants may be cleared of bugs or insects before the trays become full and before it becomes necessary to empty the trays. Because of the fact that the bugs or insect are saturated with oil, and are thereby incapacitated, the bugs or insects will not crawl out or fly away or become lost during the interval while-the operator is moving the apparatus fromone plant to another.

An upper substantially circular split closure band 30, preferably made of .spring metal, is secured to the upper end ofthe flexible bag 28' and is provided with a suitable hook latch 3| of any suitable type, to hold the open portion of the band 38 in a closed position as. shown in Figure 2, when the bag 28?.is closed and raised to an extended position. Elements 32 and 33 are arranged along the inner face of the bag 28, as shown in Figure 3, and partly encircle the base [4. Eachone ofelements 32 and 33 comprises a body formed of awire strand asshown in Figures 3 and 4. The element 32 isprovided with a.

forward finger 35 and airear finger 34. The element 33 is provided withaforward finger 36and.

a rear, finger 31. These fingersare suitably secured to the inner face of the bag 28 by means of thread or cord loop .29 The element 32.is provided with a laterally extendingstabilizer loop 38 which is anchored to the inner face of the bag 28 and extends longitudinally of the. bag 28. while the-fingers. 34. and 35 extend substantially circumferentially of thebag 28. The element 33 is provided with a. stabilizer loop 39. which is anchored to the inner face of the bag 28' and ex-- tends longitudinallyof the bag 28, the fingers 36 and 31 extending substantially circumferentially of the bag. It should be noted that the arms of' the elements 32 and 33 are secured-to the inner face of the flexible collapsible bag 28.near the point of connection of the bag 28 with the base l4, and since the wall of-the bag28- is. inclined outwardly and upwardly from the base, and the stabilizer portions 38 and 39 respectivelyextend upwardly andoutwardly relative to thebase I4,

the center of gravity of these portions 38fand 39- being laterally disposed with respect to the plane coinciding with the. top of the. base 14' will pull the flexible bag adjacent the slit 29 atthe bottom of the bag laterally of. the base 14 simulating a hinge when the bag collapses. This will'clear the edges of the slit29. of the bag. 28'away' from the entrance opening of the channelway l;

When the bag is raised to an extended position from a collapsed position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the stabilizer portions 38 and 390i the elements 32 and 33 which are attached to the inner face of the flexible bag 23 will be swung from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, thereby moving the fingers.

35*and36 toward each other and consequently 4 moving the edges of the bottom of the slit 29 toward each other to a closed position over the entrance opening of the channelway l5 under the bag 28 and causing the converging bottom edges 4|] and 4| of the bag 28 adjacent the slit 29 to overlie the flanges or lips 2! of the closure strips l8. When the bag 28 is dropped to a collapsed position after opening the latch 3|, as shown in Figures 3 and8, the stabilizing loops 38.and 39, because of their weight; will swing-laterally from a vertical to a horizontal position and away from each other, thereby moving the elements 32 and 33,1aterally away from the base M as the bag 28 collapses and consequently pulling the bottom edge of1the, slit 29 of the bag 28 laterally away from the entrance opening of the channelway 15. As theconverging edges 40 and 4| drop laterally away; from each other, when the bag is collapsed, the bottom edges of theislit 29 will be cleared or spread laterally away from the, opposite sides of theentrance opening. iii toavoidobstructionof this opening I3. The band 30,.when the bag 28 is in a collapsed position, will lie concentrically relative to the base I4, as shown in Figure 3,.with the open end which carries the elements ofthe latch 33 upon opposite sides of the entrance opening l3 of the slot II.

The operation of the apparatus-isasfollows:

The bag 28 is opened in front; and'is moved'to a collapsed position as. shown inFigure, 3; and

the ends of the band 30 will'springapart.when.

when the bag 28 iscollapsed, The fingers 35 and 36of the opposite. elements .32 ,and33, which are attached to the lower end of thebag- 28 adjacent theslot 29 and upon .oppositesides .of .the slot 29,

willflpullthe edges of .the slot- 29 apart at the.

bottom of the bag. The. arrows A'shown in Figure 8 indicate the direction in which the bag-is.

moved froma collapsed to anextended position.

The supporting panel 10 is-then moved ,toward' the plant (potato plant) and'to a'position where the panel Illstraddles the stem ofjthe plant at its base, so that the plant extends vertically through the channelway l5 as. shown in dotted lines in Figure '7. The lips,.or-.fianges2l. will spread apart until the stem. of .theplant reaches the aperture 22.at which timethe lips. orfianges 2| will close over the channelway.

The operator places his .footF upon therear end of the panel ID, as indicated.indottedlinesv inFigure 1, and after latching the band he pulls upwardly upon the upper endof Ithe-bag28 with his hand H shown in dotted lines in Figure. l

tocompletely enclose the plant. Then'by shaking the bag 28 from side to side in contact'with the branches of the plant; the bugs potato bugs) will. be knocked from the plant and the bugs. will drop into the trays 26 which arefilledwith suitable liquid (coal oil). After the bugs'have been removed from one plant, the apparatus maybe pulled to the rear to-removeitfromthe plant, and the above-described: procedure may be repeated, with respectto another; plant; The bag,

28 maythenbedropped to'a collapsed-open-po sition and the trays 26 may be removed, thereby lifting the bugs from the pockets 25 and the surplus liquid will thereby be drained from the perforated trays. The bugs may be dumped and burned to completely destroy the bugs and their eggs, the soaking of the bugs with oil facilitating the burning thereof. It should be noted that when the bag 28 i in an extended position, the stabilizer loops 38 and 39 of the elements 32 and 33 extend in a substantially vertical position, but as the bag 28 drops to a collapsed position, the stabilizer loops swing laterally with the flared sides of the bag 38 to a substantially horizontal position shown in Figures 3 and 8, and the ends of the fingers 35 and 36 pull the edges of the slit 29 apart at the bottom of the bag since the elements 32 and 33 fall laterally away from the base M, as shown in Figure 3.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a supporting panel having a. longitudinally extending slot with an entrance opening at one end thereof, a base carried by the panel and having a plant receiving channelway registering with said slot and having an entrance opening in line with the entrance opening of the panel, said base having bug collecting pockets at opposite sides of the channelway, an upwardly and outwardly flaring flexible bag secured at one end to said base and having its opposite outer end free, the bag extending laterally beyond the base, the bag being adapted to be raised to an extended position from a collapsed position, the bag having a plant entrance slit registering with said entrance openings of the slot in the panel and the channelway, a split closure band carried by the outer free end of said bag, means for releasably holding the split closure band in a closed position to close the upper end of said slit, and weighted elements carried by the inner face of said bag at the opposite end of said slit for closing said opposite end of said slit when the bag is raised to an extended position.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a supporting panel having a longitudinally extending slot with an entrance opening at one end thereof, a base carried by the panel and having a plant receiving channelway registering with said slot and having an entrance opening in line with the entrance opening of the panel, said base having bug collecting pockets at opposite sides of the channelway, a flexible bag secured at one end to said base and having its opposite outer end free, the bag being adapted to be raised to an extended position from a collapsed position, the bag having a plant entrance slit registering with said entrance openings of the slot in the panel and the channelway, a split closure band carried by the outer free end of said bag, means for releasably holding the split closure band in a closed position to close the upper end of said slit, means carried by said bag at the opposite end of said slit for closing said opposite end of said slit when the bag is raised to an extended position, said last mentioned means comprising a weighted element secured to said bag at opposite sides of said slit, each Weighted element having a portion extending longitudinally of the bag and being adapted to pull the portion of the bag adjacent the slit laterally to open the bottom of the slit 6 when the bag is collapsed and to close the bottom of the slit when the bag is pulled to an extended position.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base, a bag carried by said base and comprising an upper split closure band, a lower split retaining band and a sheet of flexible material, said sheet of flexible material being the sole connecting means between said bands and constituting a flexible bag, the base constituting a bug receiving means, said bag having a plant entrance slit, said base having a plant entrance slot registering with the slit of the bag, and weighted elements carried by the inner face of said bag upon opposite sides of said slit adjacent the bottom of said slit for closing the bottom of said slit when the bag is raised to an extended position and for opening the bottom of said slit when the bag is collapsed.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base, a bag carried by said base and comprising an upper split closure band, a lower split retaining band and a sheet of flexible material, said sheet of flexible material being the sole connecting means between said bands and constituting a flexible frusto-conical bag, the base constituting a bug receiving means, said bag having a plant entrance slit, said base having a plant entrance slot registering with the slit of the bag, Weighted elements carried by the inner face of said bag upon opposite sides of said slit adjacent the bottom of said slit for closing the bottom of said slit when the bag is raised to an extended position and for opening the bottom of said slit when the bag is collapsed, and said weighted elements being adapted to spread the flexible bag laterally of the base when the bag.

is collapsed.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base, a bag carried by said base and comprising an upper split closure band, a lower split retaining band and a sheet of flexible material, said sheet of flexible material being the sole connecting means between said bands and constituting a flexible bag, the base constituting a bug receiving means, said bag having a plant entrance slit, said base having a plant entrance slot registering with the slit of the bag, weighted elements carried by the inner face of said bag upon opposite sides of said slit adjacent the bottom of said slit for closing the bottom of said slit when the bag is raised to an extended position and for opening the bottom of said slit when the bag is collapsed, said base being substantially circular, and said Weighted elements being adapted to spread the flexible bag radially of the base when the bag is collapsed.

SAMUEL A. STANTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

